Doll Faces Have Expressive Abilities Too

“Chashaku Musume” (The Tea-Serving Girl)

The Tea-Serving Girl (“chashaku musume”) is an evolution of the tea-carrying Doll (“chahakobi ningyo”), and is a doll of a woman in a kimono that appears to serve drinks.

It was a tool that was widely used at tea shops during the Edo period to attract customers.The doll is made to be enjoyed by everyone and is a unique item of Japan that is so rare it is almost unparalleled worldwide.

“Chahakobi Ningyo” The Tea-Carrying Doll

The doll with its rich facial expressions stops moving exactly when the small tea cup it holds is lifted, then, when the empty tea cup is set back in its original position, the doll changes its direction and starts moving again.

It is known for being the most beloved doll among the common people in the Edo period.

“Mojikaki Ningyo” The Calligrapher Doll

This doll is said to be Hisashige Tanaka’s finest work.

The facial expression of the doll follows the brush tip, creating an expression that looks as if it were human.There are four variations on the characters the doll can write, which are Chinese characters for the words “pine”, “plum”, “longetivity”, and “bamboo”, and the doll is known for being a doll in which these characters can be freely manipulated.